pain means bread in french

I feel a gripping pain in my chest. The pain goes up my head. I lose sense of the logical sequence of my tasks. The images in my head are vivid but my thoughts are blurry.

If the heart inside my body is dripping blood, it must feel like this.

Then I go down to the streets.

I can be lining up at the cashier of the café and still be feeling it.

I can be cutting my French toast and still be feeling it.

I can be photocopying papers and still be feeling it.

I can be having lunch with my colleagues and still be feeling it.

It is when I stand in front of my class -- and I see they are engaged in their learning -- that I forget it a little.